Friends First in statements blunder

HUNDREDS of people have received the financial statements of others in a major blunder by financial services group Friends First. Annual policy statements sent to the wrong people this week should be returned to the company, a spokesperson said yesterday.

The company has informed the Data Protection Commissioner and the Financial Regulator of the mailing error. Friends First has written to more than 500 customers with an apology and an assurance that the risk of fraud is very small.

The customers involved had pension and investment funds. The statements would have contained the most private and personal details of customers including names, addresses, policy numbers and the amount of cash balances.